Plaque



March 17, lg fi. R, RUSSELL 2,034,313

PLAQUE Filed Dec. 12, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /6 45 4; 4; I nventor March 17, 1936.

R. E. RUSSELL 2,034,313

PLAQUE Filed Dec. 12, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 $45 J. f

Inventor jawz? jzww/l" Patented Mar. 17, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

My invention relates generally to pictorial decorations, and particularly to plaques having thereon matter in relief depicting landscapes and other artistic subjects for different decorative purposes, and an important object of my invention is to provide plaques of the type indicated which are highly artistic and realistic, and which are enduring and attractive in form.

It is also an important object of my invention to provide a method or process of making plaques of the type indicated above whereby highly artistic effects are produced with a minimum of efiort, and a wide variety of themes becomes capable of being represented in a new and more attractive form than has heretofore been done.

Other important objects of my invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description in connection with the drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the front of plaque in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view, taken through Figure 1 approximately on the line 2-2 and looking toward the left in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional View taken through Figure 1 approximately on the line 33 and looking upwardly in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken through the lower part of Figure 1 approximately on the line 4-4.

Figure 5 is an elevational view of the front of the plaque before the application of certain decorative elements appearing in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the mounting strips.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the upper part of a mounting plate.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 generally designates the embodiment which includes the plate 6 which is made of multiply veneer, in the case of the present illustration of three-ply veneer, which plate forms the base and supporting medium for the other decorative features which are in the different ways to be described attached to the front face of the plate 6. The size and shape of the plate 6 depends entirely upon the purpose for which the plaque is constructed, and may be small when a miniature plaque is desired or large, as when the invention is applied to the formation and decoration of larger objects such as fire-screens, and the like.

Having the plate 6 of the desired shape and number plies of veneer, a photograph, such as a snapshot, post card or the like, or oil painting or any other suitable pictorial subject is glued to the front of the plate and the corners securedthereto with tacks 8, the sheet constituting such pictorial representation being generally designated 1. If the picture be painted directly on the front of the plate 6, the application in the manner indicated of a separate pictorial representation will, of course, not be necessary. It will be understood, of course, that the picture 1 in the form in which it is shown herein was chosen solely for illustrative purposes, as well as the placement thereof on the front of the plate 6.

In accordance with the invention, after the picture 1 has been secured in place, the front of the plate 6 around the picture and, if desired, a portion of the front of the picture is built up with modeling clay, strips of wood, either nailed or glued in place, pieces of cardboard, glued and/or tacked, and either covered with modeling clay or not, as may be desired. Natural objects such as twigs, baskets, rocks, plants, and other forms and representations of natural and artificial objects may be attached to the front of the plate 6 by glueing and/or tacking, or to a mounting plate 9 of cardboard or other suitable material which is in turn secured to the plate 6, or to mounting strips such as the strips Ill and l l which are nailed or tacked to the front face of the plate 6.

Where Wood is used in the building up of the relief work on the front of the plaque, it is preferably nailed in place as indicated by the numeral l2 in the case of the strips l0 and H. With natural objects such as twigs or pieces of branches, such as those designated I4 and I5, wire staples I6 which embrace the twigs are used for fastening the twigs in place on the front of the plate 6, the surface of the twigs being left in their natural state so as to be more realistic and in concert with the rustic character of the relief work and the subject of the picture 1.

Where house subjects are depicted, narrow strips, such as the strips l0 and H are tacked or nailed to the plaque and cardboard plates such as the plate 9 are tacked or nailed to the plaque or to the strips or glued thereto if desired. The resulting cardboard surface is then covered with clay and then with a thin coat of Jesso resembling soft putty, which acts as a glue, and ordinary sand is then sifted over this adhesive surface. If desired strings of chilli, ollas, baskets and other objects in the natural form or modeled from clay or the like may be attached to the house by glueing. Rocks and baskets may also be similarly glued to the plaque with the combination of clay and Jesso. Where the staples l6 are used for holding the strips in place, the staples may be covered with clay and branches modeled from the clay so as to conceal the wire staples. Where the trunk of a tree is desired the same may be molded from clay and laid fiat on the board and glued thereto. In the case of forming certain plants they may have a framework of wire with molded clay thereon as indicated by the numeral I! applying to the wire and I8 applying to the tips, which tips, like the balance of the relief Work are to receive the combination of Jesso or clay or sand, the entire assembly being held in place by a'nail or tack l9 passing through the looped parts of the wires.

After all of the relief work desired has been completed, the clay is permitted to dry for a period of approximately 24 hours at the expiration of which a.v thin coating of Jesse. is washed over all of the clayed parts, except-the sanded houses or pictures, and the resultant permitted te dry for a period of twelve hours. When this is dry, a thin coat of clear shellac is washed over the entire plaque including the picture or print or painting 1 and the plaque allowed to dry for av period of about 30 minutes. 7

When. dry the plaque is then painted with oil colors, including the photo-cover print or snapshot 1. The relief work is painted. so as blend in with the picture 1'. The rocks and sanded parts, however, are not so painted, but are left in their natural state. When the paint has dried, a protective coat of thin clear shellac is washed over the entire plaque and when this is dry the plaque is completed.

While I do not claim as original and as part of this invention the pictures or other representations which I include in the various embodiments of my invention, I do claim as my invention the arrangement thereof with respect to the balance of the decorative material appearing on the plaque, and. the method of assembling these features to produce a new and novel whole having a new and more pleasing optical effect and a quality of quaintness and artistic value.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not desire to limit the application of the invention thereto, and any change or changes may be made in the materials, and in the structure and arrangement of the parts, and in the method of assembling and incorporating-the same, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the subjoined claim.

What is claimed is:

A pictorial plaque comprising a base, a picture on a portion of the front of the base, strips fastened to portions of the base, asheet of bendable material fastened to the. strips and covering the strips and portions of the base, a coating on the sheet, and object forming parts attached to different parts of the base and some of which are attached to the structure formed by the coated sheet andv the strips.

RUTH E. RUSSELL. 

